Jailen’s Book Nook

Jailen Annigeri is a senior at Medfield High School where she is part of the National Honor Society and Spanish National Honor Society. Jailen is involved in many extracurricular activities, including Varsity basketball and soccer. She is constantly involved in various school leadership positions, including being a student council representative, and a captain for the varsity basketball team. She is also one of the captains of Project Teamwork, which is an anti-bullying prevention club where student leaders talk to younger students about important, real-life topics. In her free time, Jailen loves spending time with family and friends and traveling to new places. In college, Jailen is looking to major or minor in psychology, and the internship for Gripped serves as a great opportunity for this path because the book’s main focus is mental health.

Book Reviews

“The Truth We Never Told” by Stacy Padula highlights many struggles that young adults face today. We are given a fictional storyline that has a very intriguing plot and many characters that you become emotionally invested in. As the characters navigate through their teenage lives, they are left with decisions that are life changing, not only for them but their loved ones. 

As this book covers the serious topic of drug usage, the author still provides a storyline where the readers can feel hopeful and excited about the character’s future. I look forward to reading the rest of the series, Gripped, and I recommend this book to any young adult who is looking for a meaningful and intriguing story. 

Gripped Part 2: Blindsided is continuation of Stacy Padula’s book series Gripped. This book continues to tell the stories of how teenage kids get caught up in substance abuse and how as young adults they handle their situation. As the series and book progresses you find yourself getting more and more attached to the characters as well as learning so much about the real world. 

I would recommend this book to all teens, young adults, teachers and even parents. All the kids in the series Gripped who get caught up with these substances don’t necessarily have the best support system and the author does a great job of portraying how important “your people” are. This book is fun and captivating while also having a very meaningful storyline. 

In Gripped Part 3 you continue along the same storyline, leaving you even more invested in the characters and wanting to continue reading. Through the lens of fictional high school characters, the book teaches young adults the severity, drugs and alcohol can have on your life. Author Stacy Padula perfectly portrays the struggle of addiction and how the people you surround yourself with can really influence your actions. 

These books examine realistically how teenagers get involved with substance abuse and how it affects their relationships and aspirations. Throughout the book, many of the characters are struggling with addiction, and they realize that drugs are not the solution to their problems. Through their family and friends’ support, many characters recognize that things need to change. I would recommend reading Gripped Part 3 to anyone who is looking for an exciting storyline that also highlights the importance of a good support system and the dangers of substance abuse.

Interviews with Jailen

July 2024: Gripped Part 1

1. Who would you recommend Gripped Part 1 to and why?

I recommend Gripped to young adults or even parents because this story is very real. As a young adult, I have learned a lot about how detrimental drug usage can be, from broken friendships to kids being kicked out of college. These kids have dug such a big hole for themselves that getting out of this situation is difficult. Parents could also benefit from reading this book because you never want your child to endure something like this, but if it were to happen, you want to support them and help them with this complex situation. Reading this book will help parents understand their child’s perspective and what they need in order to get better. 

2. How do you as a young adult relate to the story?

I relate to the story as a young adult because I am constantly surrounded by people who are going through drug usage problems. They are risking their lives by partaking in “cool” high school trends, and every day, I have to distance myself from these people to stay on the right path. This is not as big of a problem at Medfield as at Montgomery High, but it still occurs, and some kids don’t have the support they need to get better.

3. What did you like best about the story?

In this book, I really liked how we were taken back in time. This book was unique because, usually, the characters develop as time passes, but in this book, the characters develop when we are taken back in time. I also liked how all the characters were connected in some way. It made each situation bigger because so many people were impacted. 

4. What message does this book send to readers?

This book portrays the message that all it takes is one slip-up to put your life in danger. Throughout the book, Cathy and Jason seem like they have it all together and would never get into drugs, but we know that doesn’t happen. This book explains how a good kid who seems completely fine can be struggling on the inside, and when it finally becomes evident that they are struggling they are already too deep in just to leave it behind. 

5. There are a few different storylines running through Gripped Part 1 because it is setting up the rest of the series. What storyline do you find the most interesting and why? (For example: Taylor and the police, Cathy and Jason, Cathy and Chantal, etc.)

The storyline that interests me most is Cathy and Jason. The whole book sets up their relationship, and we know that Cathy gets into drugs, but we don’t know why Jason is blaming himself for Cathy’s dark path. It will be interesting to understand why Jason and Cathy decided to go down this road when their morals were so good in the first book.

6. Gripped Part 1 sets up the rest of the series but leaves a lot of things “hanging.” What are you most curious to uncover by reading Gripped Part 2?

I am curious about what will happen with Taylor and the police because it seems like the police have everything figured out. Still, the suppliers usually throw a curveball and make things more difficult. I also want to see how Taylor reacts to seeing Marc again because it’s been a long since they talked.

7. About the characters…
   1. Who do you feel bad for and why?

I feel bad for Chris because he genuinely wants out of his family’s problems. His parents are never around, and his older cousin Taylor is a bad influence. Chris just wants some family who will be there and care about him. 

2. Who frustrates you and why? 

Luke frustrates me the most because any time he is mentioned in the book, it seems like he is trying to force drugs onto Cathy. All the other characters have problems, but they are trying to move on. Luke is the only one who doesn’t seem to care. 

3. Who do you most relate to and why?

I relate to Chantal the most because I feel like I have very good morals, and sometimes that makes things harder for me. I do my best to stay away from things that will hurt me or make things harder in the future. Some high school kids have a hard time understanding that, and it can be annoying having to explain my choices all the time.

4. Who do you like and why? 

I like Lisa because it seems like she always has her friend’s back. She broke up with her boyfriend because Lisa was staying loyal to Cathy and Chris chose Jon, which made their relationship awkward. I admire how Lisa always is looking out for others before herself.

5. Who do you dislike and why?

I dislike Jon because he is always stirring something up. He is constantly lying and going behind people’s backs, which doesn’t help him in the future. He had a very good reputation, but one small slip up caused him to take a turn and put a lot of his friends in bad places as well.

August 2024: Gripped Part 2

1. The drug use and sexual content in this book will surely get it banned from schools, but the topics are too relevant in teenage culture to be ignored. Why do you think this book should be read by kids in middle school and high school?

I believed that teens should be reading this book because of how relevant the topics are. These books show how easy it is for someone to become dependent on drugs. As a high schooler, I know how stressful school and life can be, but I would never have known the negative effects that temporary “stress relievers” like Marijuana and Xanax have without reading this book. Teens can benefit from reading this book by understanding what one hit can do to you in the long run, without having to actually experience that for themselves. 

2. What can kids learn from reading this book?

I think kids reading this book can learn that sometimes your friends aren’t the best influences. In Chris case its his family. Sometimes you can put to much trust in your friends and they could lead you down the wrong path. Chris got into drinking and drugs because of his older cousins. Then Chris got his friends engaged too. I think one of the main messages that kids can learn from reading this particular book is that sometimes you have to take a step back and think about your own morals and not just about doing what your friends are doing. 

3. How has your opinion of Taylor changed from the beginning of the series until the end of book 2?

My opinion of Taylor has changed a lot from the beginning of the series because in the first book we didn’t get much on his background. In the second book we now understand how dedicated he was to football. In the first book I thought that Taylor was just like his cousins; partied a lot and got high but I’ve now learned how he has changed. Taylor was the role model in the family because of his athletics but also how devoted he was to his goals. By the end of book 2 my opinion of him has changed because I know that he was a good kid that just went down the wrong path with not enough support for him to stay safe. 

4. How has your opinion of Chris changed since the beginning of the series?

My opinion of Chris has changed a bit from the beginning of the series because I used to think that he was just trying things to get his friends high and drunk. I have now realized how much he actually cares about his friends and how he will do anything for them. I like how honest Chris is with his friends and especially Lisa about his sickness. Chris has just been around the wrong people and that has caused him to spiral out of control. I think because he has the right mind and attitude he will be able to bounce back and become the person that Lisa wants, but more importantly who Chris knows he can be. 

5. After reading books 1 & 2, are you rooting for Cathy to end up with Jason or Marc?

After reading both books, I would like to see Cathy and Jason get better, and then get back together. I think that they both really like each other, It’s just that their friends and family have gotten in the way of their best judgement. I don’t think Cathy really likes Marc. She is only dating him because he is a good kid who doesn’t get caught up with drugs; Cathy thinks he can be a good influence on her and keep her in line. 

6. What are your honest thoughts on Chris and Lisa’s relationship?

I think that Chris and Lisa have an interesting relationship. I feel like they are very wise beyond their years, that sometimes I forget that they are only in middle school. I think that when Chris is sober and not high, him and Lisa make a very cute couple. Chris puts other people before himself and with Lisa’s situation she needs someone who will look out for her. Although Lisa needs Chris support, she doesn’t need to be caught up in all of his drama. Lisa needs to have a support system that isn’t falling apart themselves. I think that if Chris proves that he can and will get better, then they will be good for each other. 

7. Who are your two favorite characters so far in the series and why?

In the series so far my two favorite characters are Chris and Jason. Chris is one of my favorites because of how caring he is. Yes he has caused a lot of problems but I think that the only reason he got caught up in drinking and drugs is because of his family. Without his family I think he would have kept himself and his friends in line. Chris is very persuasive and genuinely cares about his friends so when he suggests something they listen. My second favorite is Jason. I also really like Jason because of how much he cares for his friends and family. Jason knows his limits with drinking and drugs but Cathy is his weakness. Jason will do anything for her and that is hurting him.

September 2024: Gripped Part 3

1. This book touches upon the use of Adderall, acid, marijuana, alcohol, and Xanax. For that reason, parents may not want their children to read the novel. However, the author feels there is much to be learned. What do you think tweens and teens could learn from reading Gripped Part 3 that would be beneficial for them?

Gripped 3 touches on a big problem faced in high schools, which is the use of dangerous drugs such as Adderall, acid, marijuana, alcohol, and Xanax. This book has a captivating storyline that shows how these drugs destroyed relationships with both friends and family, ruined future opportunities, and created health problems like addiction. Many lessons can be gained from reading this book, especially for young adults who are exposed to temptations like these every day but don’t know how to handle the peer pressure. 

2. Why could adults benefit from reading Gripped Part 3?

Gripped Part 3 can be very beneficial for parents to read because they are gaining knowledge about what drugs teenagers are being exposed to and how easy it is to get their hands on them. Parents can learn how to inform their kids of the dangerous consequences that might come from doing drugs, even just once, and they can learn how to support their kids in a meaningful way so the kids don’t feel like they have to turn to drugs for comfort. 

3. What storylines were most intriguing in Gripped Part 3? What kept you wanting to turn the page?

In book 3, the most intriguing storyline is Cathy and Chantal’s. In the previous books, we learned about everything they had gone through, and in book 3, I was excitedly awaiting how they would mend their relationship. Their relationship hit close to home for me because I have three sisters who I am very close to, and seeing sisters who aren’t seeing eye to eye makes me feel so lucky to have three built-in best friends.  

4. As drug use abounds in the series, some characters are trying their best to sober up, while others are getting deeper and deeper into substance abuse. How do you think readers can benefit from reading about Chris’s journey from the beginning of the series until now?

Readers can benefit from reading about Chris’s journey because Chris is very resilient and has grown up in a household with no support. From a young age, Chris was exposed to drugs, and he did not know what was safe. After he understood the damaging impact drugs have on his life, Chris set his mind to getting clean. This teaches readers that if you put your mind to something, you can conquer anything.

5. At this point in the series, what character intrigues you the most and why?

The character that intrigues me the most is Cathy. Ever since the beginning of the series, I have been interested in her process and her morals. I think that she is a good person at heart, but the wrong people influenced her, leading her down a dark path. I am curious if she can get clean and how her relationships with the people she loves are restored. 

6. What does this book teach readers about why people begin using drugs?

This book teaches readers that everyone has their reason for turning to drugs. For Chris, it was the lack of guidelines, for Cathy, it was her anxiety, and for Taylor, it was his injury. You never know what someone is going through, and maybe the reason why they are suffering is because they feel they need more support/help than they are getting, and only drugs can fill that void. 

7. Chris loves Jordan, but Marc hates Jordan. He has slowly been introduced to the reader in the first three books and will play a more significant role later in the series. At this point in the series what are your honest thoughts on Jordan?

At this time in the Gripped series, Jordan was influenced by his peers and drugs, which led him to engage in bad behavior. He has begun to mature, improving himself and making wiser choices. He has changed from a young, troubled boy to a more mature young man.